Project information

Reducing Pesticide Misuse / Saving Lives in Ghana

Reduce deaths, crippling injury and environmental damage caused by the misuse of pesticides in the Volta Region of Ghana by training subsistence farmers in sustainable agriculture and IPM, and campaigning (radio phone-in, school talks, etc.) and lobbying for existing regulations to be enforced.

Charity information: Powerful Information

Need

Many farmers die each year in Ghana as a result of pesticide poisoning, and thousands are incapacitated. Despite legislation, there is effectively no control over the sale of pesticides: subsistence farmers routinely use them on their crops without training or protection, and very little appreciation of the risks. Very few are trained and wear protection. They often use the wrong product or dosage; they spray too close to harvest, re-use containers for food, and wash equipment in local rivers.

Solution

We will train 500 farmers (workshops & field schools), and chemical sellers (many have no training & cannot read/understand labels); make presentations to 2,500 high school students (many students spray but without protection or training); organise phone-ins on local radio; collect data on pesticide poisoning incidents (from farmers’ organisations across the region); train Agricultural Extension Officers to use the internet; & lobby Government officials for the law on pesticides to be enforced.

Aim 1

Activities

» Introduce subsistence farmers to sustainable agricultural to ensure pesticides are used properly by training them in workshops and field schools. » Train chemical sellers about correct storage and use of pesticides. » Train Agricultural Extension Officers to access the internet to keep up to date with developments and government regulations.

We will monitor farmers taking up sustainable agriculture/practicing integrated pest management and pesticide poisoning incidents in the Region.

Aim 2

Raise public awareness of the threat improper use of pesticides poses to the environment

Activities

» Carry out a series of school talks on the misuse / proper use of pesticides, wearing protective clothing and storing pesticides properly. » Organising radio phone-in programmes to spread the message. » Lobbying Government officials for the law on pesticides to be properly enforced.

Attendance and interaction at school talks, number of callers to radio programmes and feedback on the number of pesticide poisoning incidents in the Region.

Impact

We would hope to see a reduction in pesticide deaths & injuries in the region, and untrained/unprotected young people spraying, farmers washing equipment in local rivers, and using old pesticide containers for food; and an increase in the number of farmers practicing sustainable agriculture; also, the sale of pesticides in shops/street cabins properly regulated/policed; and Agricultural Extension Officers routinely accessing the latest agricultural information on line via local internet cafés.

Risk

There is a risk that farmers will revert to traditional practices and not stick with sustainable approaches / Integrated Pest Management because it requires more knowledge/understanding and careful planning. They may also not use protection when spraying (because it is hot & uncomfortable). However, our experience is that farmers are responsible & become deeply concerned about the risks once they are pointed out (pain, seizures, impotence, etc.). It is possible that Ebola could spread to Ghana.

Reporting

We will produce an illustrated report on the project each year and circulate it electronically to all those requesting copies. Regular entries will be posted on our blogs on our website and Facebook.

Budget - Project Cost: £32,000

Current Funding / Pledges

Location

Hohoe Municipality and two neighbouring districts, Kpando and Jasikan.

Beneficiaries

500 subsistence farmers and 50 chemical sellers in the Volta Region (empowered with an understanding of how to farm sustainably and use pesticides safely).
Farming communities (better understand the risks to people and the environment if pesticides are not used properly), including >500 high school students (many of whom spray without training or protection).
The public at large, IF we can get the Government to agree to enforce existing policies on pesticide sale & use.